Positive psychological and physiological responses are elicited in humans by visual exposure to pleasing landscape images such as pictures of spatially open natural landscapes. (Roger S. Ulrich, 1993, "Biophilia, Biophobia and Natural Landscapes", Chapter 3, pages 73 to 137, in: Stephen R. Kellert and Edward O. Wilson editors, The Biophilia Hypothesis, Island Press, Washington, D.C.) The preferred landscape image is a savanna-type landscape. By definition, a savanna-type landscape is a "grassland with scattered trees or scattered clumps of trees, a type of community intermediate between grassland and forest" (Eugene P. Odum, 1971, Fundamentals of Ecology, Third Edition, W. B. Saunders Company, Philadelphia, Pa.).
In one of his seminal and theoretical works, renowned evolutionary biologist Edward O. Wilson (1984), Biophilia: The Human Bond with OtherSpecies, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass.) suggests that humans are genetically predisposed to respond positively (biophilically) to savanna-like landscapes. After the publication of Wilson's seminal work on island biogeography (Robert H. MacArthur and Edward O. Wilson, 1967, The Theory of Island Biogeography, Princeton University Press, Princeton, N.J.) and his expansive synthesis on sociobiology (Edward O. Wilson, 1975, Sociobiology: The New Synthesis. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass.), biologists and others wrote many papers, dissertations and books on these topics of modern bioscience. Like the responses by the bioscientific community to his 1967 and 1975 works, Wilson's 1984 publication of Biophilia: The Human Bond with Other Species has prompted the writing of many scientific papers by a wide diversity of authorities. Among these works on biophilia are two papers especially relevant to the present invention: the aforecited "Biophilia, Biophobia and Natural Landscapes" by Ulrich, and "Humans, Habitats, and Aesthetics" by Judith H. Heerwagen and Gordon H. Orians (1993, Chapter 4, pages 138-172, in Stephen R. Kellert and Edward O. Wilson, editors, The Biophilia Hypothesis. Island Press, Washington, D.C.).
The biophilic theory of Wilson supports the belief that natural selection favored the survival of paleohominids (ancestors of modern humans, Homo sapiens) genetically predisposed to inhabiting landscapes dominated by plant life forming vegetation having a physiognomy of a savanna. Such ancestral hominids are viewed as having innate aversions to desert, densely forested and like landscapes-generally less favorable to paleohominid survival than savannas. Human evolution is believed to have occurred substantially within tropical savannas in Africa. Predation, food-availability and other selection pressures were generally more favorable to human survival and evolution within these tropical savannas than in other kinds of African landscapes (such as tropical rain forest, mountainous, desert and like environments). Selection promoted disproportionately high survival of hominids and hominid genes favoring savanna-oriented behaviors. As evolution proceeded, there was a build-up and strengthening of genes and gene-combinations further predisposing hominid populations to savanna conditions. Wilson believes that these innate savanna-oriented characteristics continue in populations of modern humans and that modern humans are biophilically predisposed to responding favorably to savanna or savanna-like conditions. Certain embodiments of the present invention are in accord with this belief of one of the most widely respected and acclaimed biologists in the world today.
In the aforementioned 1993 publication of Ulrich, Ulrich reports evidence that simulations (including color photographs) of natural environments elicit restorative and other positive responses from human viewers and suggests that such simulations may serve as at least partial substitutes for real nature in terms of eliciting short-term restorative responses. Other scientific authorities are mentioned by Ulrich as providing proof that the viewing of natural settings positively affects the viewer by reducing stress (confirmed by such central nervous system indicators as blood pressure). This reporting by Ulrich is consistent with the innate biophilic landscape affinity believed by Wilson to characterize modern humans. The work of Ulrich suggests that positive (biophilic) responses can be elicited from patients within a very short time after patient exposure to wall art showing spatially open serene natural settings.
However, most attempts to reduce stress in a hospital or therapeutic setting have been sound-oriented, wherein music or other sounds are electronically delivered to a patient, where visual images are used to address patient well being, the images are either displayed remotely in a far away picture frame, or in optically glare-producing video screens.
Among the earlier background art patents related to methods of patient recovery stress reduction or promoting relaxation are the following:
U.S. Pat. No. Inventor 3,140,709 Weisz 3,643,941 Kashar 3,773,049 Rabichev et al. 3,826,250 Adams 4,047,377 Banks 4,082,918 Chang et al. 4,124,022 Gross 4,553,534 Stiegler 4,573,449 Warnke 4,640,267 Lawson 4,681,096 Cuervo 4,762,131 Okuda 4,763,428 Fischer 5,219,322 Weathers 5,266,070 Hagiwara 5,267,942 Saperston 5,289,438 Gall 5,296,444 Saiki et al 5,304,112 Mrklas 5,352,181 Davis 5,356,368 Monroe et al 5,377,024 Dillinger 5,403,263 Rodgers 5,425,699 Spiegel 5,433,223 Moore
The most relevant patents are U. S. Pat. No. 5,403,263 of Rodgers, for a method of reducing the recovery time and stress associated with surgery and U. S. Pat. No. 4,763,428 of Fischer for providing a nature scene in a hospital wall-mounted picture frame. Rodgers '263 describes a method to reduce hospital recovery time and stress by providing verbal voice-over suggestions and soothing anxiolytic music before, during and after surgery. Fischer '428 describes the use of wall mounted pictures to assist in patient healing, but does not focus on what pictures to select other than nature scenes in general.
Weathers (U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,322) describes a reclining chair for a medical patient who is hooked up to an electronic apparatus for the controlled presentation of visual and auditory stimuli. Similarly, Mrklas (U.S. Pat. No. 5,304,112) describes a system where a patient is put in a chair in front of an electronic screen and is exposed to electronic visual images, auditory sounds and other stimuli.
Weisz (U.S. Pat. No. 3,140,709) describes a pain relieving apparatus wherein acoustical sounds such as music are fed through ear phones to divert a patient's attention from pain.
Rabichev et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,049) describe an electronic apparatus for treating neuropsychic and somatic disorders with repetitive exposure of the patient to light, heat and sound radiation sources.
Banks (U.S. Pat. No. 4,047,377) discloses an electronic sleep promotion apparatus wherein a wide band audio frequency generator applies audio impulses to a person.
Chang et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 4,082,918) describe an electronic audio device which provides analgesic sounds to dental patients.
Gross (U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,022) describes an electronic audio speaker in the shape of a heart, which provides repetitive slow heartbeat sounds, to relax a person.
Kashar (U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,941) describes a relaxation chamber containing a plurality of Styrofoam.RTM. balls to simulate movement of a person within a swimming pool. Colored lights are projected upon the Styrofoam.RTM. balls to enhance the person's relaxation.
Adams (U.S. Pat. No. 3,826,250) discloses a relaxation chamber including a lounge chair wherein lights and sounds are electronically provided to a resting person.
Steigler (U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,534) describes a stress-reducing helmet with an eye shield, wherein electronic images and sounds are transmitted to the wearer.
Warnke (U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,449) describes a method for sleep enhancement and/or relaxation wherein a headphone generates electronic sound pulses, which are provided to an insomniac person to induce sleep.
Lawson (U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,267) and Cuervo (U.S. Pat. No. 4,681,096) both describe methods and associated devices to abate an infant's crying, wherein electronic sounds or vibrations are scheduled for repetitive introduction to the infant.
Gall (U.S. Pat. No. 5,289,438) discloses a consciousness-altering apparatus for persons, wherein multiple sound stimuli are electronically provided to a person.
Monroe (U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,368) describes a method and apparatus for altering consciousness and inducing sleep by measuring electroencephalogram (EEG) brain wave forms of a person during sleep or relaxation, and using sounds to try and reproduce the sleep inducing or relaxation-inducing brain waves of the person.
Dillinger (U.S. Pat. No. 5,377,024) describes an electronic color forming image construction device.
Spiegel (U.S. Pat. No. 5,425,699) describes the use of electronically produced sound waves to induce hypnosis in a person.
Okuda (U.S. Pat. No. 4,762,131) discloses an electronic nerve stimulation including lights and sounds to treat paralytic patients.
Monroe et al. (U.S. Pat. No. 5,356,368) describe a method for predicting when a night-shift worker might lose alertness.
Saperston (U.S. Pat. No. 5,267,942) discloses the use of electronically generated sounds to monitor optimal target heart rates in persons.
Davis (U.S. Pat. No. 5,352,181) describes a method and apparatus for inducing relaxation by providing verbal and musical sounds in ascending and descending crescendos and phases, to stimulate relaxing alpha and beta brain waves.
However, Rodgers '263 and most of the above noted background art patents are directed to electronic sound generating devices to induce relaxation states in users. Some of these devices, such as the embodiments of Okuda is '131 and Kashar '941, involve the use of electronically generated flashing lights to induce relaxing states of mind.
Furthermore, providing such a repetitive exposure of a patient to music, sounds and/or flashing lights has the disadvantage of being expensive to install and also may overstimulate the patient.
Moreover, these background art devices do not describe a method and apparatus for providing biophilic landscape images to persons to promote stress reduction in various stress-filled environments, such as hospital rooms, office cubicles, health care settings or educational institutions.
Furthermore, the hospital room environment itself has the disadvantage of discouraging exposure of persons to pictures in general, because slidable fabric curtains are often drawn around the patient's article of furniture , thereby hiding any wall-mounted pictures, such as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,428 of Fisher, from the patient's view.
Fischer also discloses in an unpatented publication entitled "Visual Therapy" the displaying of one of many nature photography scenes in a light box or a lighted electronic video screen in a health care setting. However, the lighted images are subject to optical glare.
The background art of Fischer '428 and the Fischer "Visual Therapy" publication of visually oriented approaches to patient well being is aimed primarily at providing either a reusable lockable means, such as a picture frame, or a light box or video screen, to display pictures that are only generally described as "having a therapeutic value", and "particularly well suited to visually involve, distract and occupy the attention of the viewer" of nature photography on the hospital room wall. There is no specificity as to the theoretical basis for selection of the nature photography; nor are any selection guidelines presented.
While a hospital curtain exhibits a large, convenient surface upon which to display pictures, curtains have not been generally used to display framed pictures, because the weight of a picture frame may distort the curtain and/or because the rigid picture frame may be a hazardous hindrance obstructing egress in the vicinity of the curtain. In addition, light boxes and lighted video screens present other electricity related hazards.
Therefore, there is a need for a lightweight, flexible display means for pictures, which can be displayed on a stand or can be attached to a hospital curtain without distorting the curtain and without obstructing egress to the patient in the vicinity of the curtain.
In fact, flexible removable pictures have mainly been provided within infant cribs to protect an infant's safety, as noted in U. S. Pat. Nos. 5,307,574 and 5,125,175 of Huff.
Moreover, imprinted photographic pictures cannot normally be displayed on fabrics, such as curtains, because the images fade with repeated washing of the fabric materials.
The technical challenges in providing such cubicle curtain-mounted images include: (1) Any fabric that is used must either be inherently fire retardant or specially topically treated to meet the fire retardancy standards as set forth in National Fire Protection Association (i.e., NFPA) Code 701. (2) The printing must produce images of sufficient high-resolution photo-realism and sufficient size (e.g., four by five feet) to give the person, such as a hospital patient, the perception of actually being in a natural (i.e., biophilic-like) setting. (3) The photo-realistic image must be printed on inherently fire retardant or treated fabric, in a manner that upholds the post-printing fire retardancy of the fabric and in a manner that enables the fabric to be laundered and disinfected at the high water and drying temperatures required by hospital sanitary codes and standards while maintaining the image quality of the picture.
High resolution, non-fading printing of photographic images on cloth fabrics may be obtained by special printing processes, such as, for example, sublimation printing. Sublimation printing produces images which have high image resolution with much clarity and brilliance, without the visually disturbing effects of glare produced by light boxes or electronic screens, such as described in the Fischer "Visual Therapy" publication.
Among the background art describing sublimation printing include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,460,871 of Andersen, 5,441,997 of Walsh, 5,389,493 of Asai, 5,329,381 of Payne, 4,997,506 of Recher, and 4,804,977 of Long.
In sublimation printing, the coloring agents are subliminally transferred to the fabric. Sublimation printers use sublimation powders or printer ribbons to produce heat transfers, which release sublimation inks in a wide variety of distinctive colors, as noted in U.S. Pat. No. 5,281,499 of Bussard.
Since the resolution quality is achieved with photographic images printed on fabrics by sublimation printing, the fabrics can therefore be fire retardant and washable, so that the fabrics can be laundered and disinfected when washed at high water temperatures with cleaning products.
Reusable fabrics are also much easier to clean and maintain than complicated light boxes or electronic video screens, and are more easily interchangeable than heavy, wall mounted-picture frames.
Therefore, the high water temperatures and cleaning products (which are needed to bring fabrics up to hospital and other sanitary codes,) do not substantially diminish the high resolution and clarity of photographic images produced by sublimation printing upon a fabric, such as hospital curtain material or another suitable fabric attachable to a hospital curtain. Moreover, these cleaning methods do not diminish the fire retardancy of the inherently fire retardant fabric.